title: Brock transventricular pulmonary valvotomy in patients with pulmonary stenosis: long-term results.
abstract: As no long-term results of a blind opening up of the pulmonary valve either by balloon valvoplasty or closed Brock valvotomy have been published, we examined the outcome of 12 patients with valvar pulmonary stenosis 17 +/- 5 (11-22) years after surgery. The Brock valvotomy had been carried out at a mean age of 3 +/- 2.8 (0.2-8.5) years. The mean pressure gradient across the right ventricular outflow tract had been 116 +/- 45 (75-97) mmHg at the catheter study or 106 +/- 43 (40-160) mmHg as measured intraoperatively. The right ventricular pressure after the Brock procedure was measured in the operating room in five patients as 46 +/- 15 (30-60) mmHg. Seven patients had been recatheterized at a mean age of 9.5 +/- 2 (7-12.7) years; at that time the gradient across the pulmonary valve had been 20 +/- 14 (10-37) mmHg. At a mean age of 21.7 +/- 3 (15-26) years these and five further patients were reexamined by echo Doppler. This time the pressure gradient across the pulmonary valve was 13 +/- 6 (7-20) mmHg. Moderate pulmonary incompetence was present in four and mild incompetence in eight patients; two had mild tricuspid insufficiency. All except one patient, who had suffered a cerebrovascular accident before surgery, were in NYHA functional class 1 and pursuing a profession. From these data we conclude that the blind opening-up of the pulmonary valve achieves excellent long-term palliation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, German Heart Center, Munich.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eger
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klinner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bühlmeyer
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011664:Pulmonary Valve / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D011666:Pulmonary Valve Stenosis / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*